The Hearts and Minds Ball is a wonderful opportunity to help raise funds for a Murdoch Childrens Research Institute study into the effects of Type 1 Diabetes on the hearts and minds of children who live with the condition.

The cell is the fundamental unit of the human body. The Cell Biology Theme seeks to understand how cells work, and how disease processes alter those functions. This is crucial to making discoveries that help children with developmental disorders, cancer and congenital diseases. Our team of scientists also investigates the molecular mechanisms that underlie embryonic development and tissue regeneration. Methodologies include cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and microscopy - combined with proteomics to examine cell physiology, inter and intracellular signalling, cell structure, and organelle function, both on a cellular and molecular level.

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute was orginally established to assist children suffering from serious genetic conditions and has a long history of excellence in this area. Medical conditions with a genetic cause are common, accounting for around 50% of paediatric hospital admissions. Genetic research is vital to the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders, infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases. Genetic research studies human DNA to find out what genes and environmental factors contribute to diseases in our society, with the ultimate goal of preventing disease from occurring in the first place. The Genetics Theme is dedicated to investigating disease mechanisms and clinical conditions that are primarily caused by pathological alterations in genes and chromosomes, with emphasis on rare genetic diseases. There are more than 5,000 rare conditions, collectively accounting for a high proportion of hospital admissions, chronic diseases and deaths in infancy and childhood. New genomic technologies provide the potential to...

Infection and Immunity researchers work to address important health problems that impact children both locally and globally. This includes the investigation of non-communicable infections, immune conditions and allergies that affect Australian children at all stages of childhood. A major focus of the Theme is vaccine development, in particular vaccines that can be delivered children in developing countries, ensuring they are protected from preventable diseases. A range of vaccines are being tested for safety and quality, with a number of exciting new delivery mechanisms being studied for effectiveness. Researchers at Murdoch Childrens collaborate with international governments and bodies to test and implement vaccines, as well as performing ongoing surveillance to measure effectiveness. Ultimately the Infection and Immunity Theme aims to protect against preventable communicable diseases, both locally in Australia and internationally in developing countries, where a simple vaccine can potentially save the lives of thousands of children.

Population Health is the study of the health of communities and populations, including the determinants, distribution and management of health at the population level. Our diverse team of researchers aims to improve understanding of the complex interplay of social, environmental, and biological factors, including genetic and epigenetic factors which control gene activity, that influence child and adolescent health. We strive to translate this knowledge into effective prevention, early intervention and treatment strategies appropriate to diverse populations, particularly those affected by social disparities. Major platforms for the Population Health Theme include large population-based cohort studies and health services intervention studies that span the continuum of the universal, primary and secondary care sectors. In many programs researchers collaborate on an international scale and partner with government and non-government agencies across health, welfare and education that are aimed at improving the lives of children and adolescents.

The Institute recognises the importance of statistics and related “data science” disciplines to its research program and has internationally regarded expert researchers in these areas. Murdoch Childrens has long been recognised for its strength in biostatistics, which has underpinned many research successes leading to substantial improvements in child health. Modern technology enables us to measure the natural world to finer and finer levels – whether thinking of a whole child or at microscopic and molecular levels. In this context the Institute’s high levels of expertise in the analysis and interpretation of data of all kinds help to keep it at the cutting-edge of science. Our Data Science researchers are active at the forefront of methods development, attracting the next generation of data scientists as PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Our approach means that our collaborators in clinical trials, community-based epidemiology, population genetics and genomics are assured of top-quality engagement. More...

Researchers in the Clinical Sciences Theme are involved in the care of babies, children and adolescents with serious acute and chronic illness, with the ultimate aim of saving lives and improving the long outcomes of our most vulnerable. Ultimately we aim for a future whereby children are free from serious acute and chronic illnesses, but for those who do experience disease or illness, research in the Clinical Sciences Theme strives to ensure that treatment, diagnosis and care is of best-practice for babies, children and adolescents. The key to our research is improving the acute diagnosis and treatment in the paediatric setting, as well as follow-up of the psychosocial and cognitive consequences for children who undergo clinical care. Working with globally competitive platforms including The Royal Children's Hospital clinical databases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), clinical behavioural science expertise and clinician contributions, our researchers are committed to ensuring research is translated into...